LAFAYETTE, La. — On Monday, April 20, Lafayette Consolidated Government will hold a press briefing on COVID-19 in the parish.
Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory said it had received strong feedback for its Safe Shop Policy and that overall the feedback was positive.
Guillory said that Lafayette was the first parish in the state to offer guidelines and additional clarification for "gray area" businesses not highlighted by Gov. John Bel Edward's Stay At Home Order.
He said that these businesses were already authorized to be open in the governor's order, but that some were closed out of fear while others stayed open without much guidance on how to proceed.
Last week, LCG received clear validation from the governor's office about how the Safe Shop Policy was consistent with the Stay At Home Order.
One of the provisions in the policy requires employees of participating businesses to wear masks.
Guillory also said that the Hane’s corporation had donated 2 million masks that can be washed and reused to Louisiana, and that some had already arrived in Lafayette.
Guillory also restated his concerns about how the COVID-19 public health emergency how now also become an economic emergency that has had serious impacts on state and local budgets.
He said that the city and parish's financial challenges will affect Lafayette's general fund, and that current spending levels are unsustainable.
Guillory said that LCG predicts a 35% decrease in sales tax revenues for the year.
He said that he is currently looking at budget cuts across the board and that "everything is on the table."
Guillory said that Monday's major decline in oil prices shows how Lafayette's economy needs to be grown and further diversified.
On Sunday, April 19, Lafayette Parish was reporting 419 coronavirus cases and 17 deaths due to the virus.
Across the state, there were nearly 24,000 cases of coronavirus with 1,296 deaths.
The Louisiana Department of Health updates the state's numbers at noon each day.
To see the latest from LDH, click here.
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